Police on Monday foiled an attempt for self-immolation by a youth before Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s heavily-fortified residence Naveen Niwas. The youth was identified as Sushil Kumar Chakra of Ghasipur in Keonjhar district.
Sources said that around 3 pm, Chakra came from the airport side with a kerosene container, but the Special Security Battalion (SSB) personnel on duty overpowered him and snatched the container. They whisked him away from the spot for interrogation.
The youth claimed that he has been deprived of the welfare schemes of the State Government, for which he attempted to end his life in protest.
Notably, despite the heavy security near the Chief Minister’s residence, there have been a number of self-immolation bids before it. In 2016, a sacked Home Guard had set himself ablaze before the Naveen Niwas and later succumbed to his burn injuries.